green snakes.

dude214 · 03-22-05, 01:36 AM

has anybody kept green snakes. is it true that these snakes are one of the most complicated to keep alive in captivity? ive talked to a bunch of different people, and cant really get a straight answer out of anyone if they make a good pet or not. and is is it also true that they can die from the stress of handling?

CamHanna · 03-22-05, 08:24 AM

Anecdotally, green snakes (Opheodrys aestivus) are quite difficult to acclimate. From time to time they are discussed on kingsnake .com and you may find some useful info there. I remember someone posting a while back that UV lighting may help them adapt to captivity. I've also read/heard that they are stressed quite easily so it's best not to bother (handle) freshly WC snakes, and even established ones are easily stressed.

They are an interesting snake to be sure, but they are a difficult species acclimate and likely will not be a suitable pet snake even if they survive captivity. Your best bet is to buy something captive bred (which nearly all Opheodrys are not).

I would imagine that Liochlorophis vernalis is a similar story.

Cam

dude214 · 03-22-05, 11:00 AM

yeah, thought so. my mom is looking in to letting me get a snake and these struck her eye. she doesnt like corns, rats, or kings because of size and what they eat. i have no problem with feeding rodents, but she would prefer me to get a garter/ribbon of some sort. there is a guy who breeds greens not to far from where i live, and he has said that he has had success breeding them and such. but i will probably end up convincing her to let me get a corn. today were gonna go look to see what they got, and maybe even buy.

CamHanna · 03-22-05, 01:49 PM

Captive bred greens might be more acceptable. They will likely not appreciate being handled but there should be no problem with acclimating them (obviously). Have you asked him how difficult it is to maintain CB Opheodrys? Perhaps CB aren't that difficult but I wouldn't know. The breeders likely the guy to be asking.

CamHanna · 03-22-05, 01:51 PM

If greens won't work for then corns are great snakes. Garters can be good pets as well but you'll have to read a bit about the diet.

dude214 · 03-22-05, 03:54 PM

the breeder said he's been breeding them for a long time and would be a starter snake. he also said if i do purchase from them he will include care sheets and dietry information on them. so, im still thinking about getting one. but the more i think about it the corns would probably be the best way to go. after all the corns are famous for being 1 of the best begginer snakes out there.

gonesnakee · 03-23-05, 01:57 PM

Have you considered Mountain King Species at all? If the rodent feeding isn't an issue (thats why folks usually go for greens), but it is more of a size/space thing a smaller king may be an option. There are several species of Mtns that stay under 3 feet & only get as thick as your index finger. I for one am not a big fan of Greens as I consider them to be more of a display snake then a pet to handle. Some other options for something smaller than a Corn & the same easy husbandry. I am refering to established captive bred specimens of course as WC or babies can be extremely hard to get feeding. CB babies once established are a breeze though & you usually only need to feed big fuzzies or small hoppers as far as rodents go once they are adults. Mark

dude214 · 03-23-05, 04:29 PM

i have looked into mountain kings. the only thing is price. im on a budget for the snake and need to spend how so much on a bunch of frozen mice. the cheapest mt. king i could find was an arizona mt. king. $100 w/o shipping. as compared to a corn around 50 w/o shipping. but if i can find any mt. kings for cheap, i will take them into consideration. but right now i still am leaning more twards a corn.

Bram · 03-26-05, 06:58 PM

Friends of mine have had captive bred green snakes, but stil no succes with these species... I've had 2 in my collection but they both passed away within a month. Was wc and since I live in the Netherlands (Europe) there in pore shape. But I was a herp beginner and they look stunning! But too bad....

I don't know the laws in the States but I seriously think these species should be protected! They are imported in huge amounts but just a fraction survive longer than 6 months in captivity!

Opheodrys aestivus gorgious on pictures in the wild! but terrible in captivity!

Bram, the dutchman!